Welcome!

Local First is about community. We’re about community members supporting community businesses. We’re about stories – the stories that shape us, the stories that have become memories of the time your parents took you to Pooh’s Corner every Saturday during the summer, the stories that made our businesses who they are.

We want to share those stories in this blog. We want to give a platform to community issues and how local businesses are helping be a part of the solution. We want to get to the heart of what we really do in a way that we haven’t been able to do before. Delve into topics like – what is sustainability and what does it look like in local businesses? Why do we talk about it? Why is it important? What is a B Corporation and how can you as a consumer or a business owner engage with B Corps? What is a sustainable local food system and how is West Michigan exemplifying this in really cool ways?

Part of our mission is to encourage joyful community life. That means this blog is for you. We want to talk about the latest new businesses and our longstanding community pillars that impact you and your neighborhood. We want to tell your story. If you want to be featured on our blog or be a guest blogger, please send your ideas to samantha@localfirst.com for consideration.

Accepting credit cards is a necessary function of most businesses today, but it can quickly become a liability that may be bleeding your bottom line. Choosing the wrong payment processor can have a significant impact on your overall business.